Victorville Correctional Officer Convicted of Kicking Handcuffed Inmate in Head

RIVERSIDE – A correctional officer at the Victorville Federal Correctional facility which is part of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons pleaded guilty to charges connected with her September 2016 arrest made for kicking a handcuffed inmate in the head.

Cynthia Flores, 34, was arrested on Monday, September 12, 2016, for the assault on the female inmate which took place on June 2, 2013. The attack took place during the evening count to ensure all inmates are accounted for. For reasons that remain unknown, Flores initiated a physical altercation with the female inmate. The inmate was handcuffed and she was held chest down touching the floor as Flores kicked her in the head. In an incident report, both written and videotaped, Flores reported that the inmate assaulted her. The statement was proven false when it was learned that Flores assaulted the inmate by pushing her into a wall, striking her, and ultimately kicking her in the head.

On Friday, while at the U.S. District Court in the City of Riverside, Flores pleaded to one count of deprivation of rights under color of the law and one count of falsification of records. Flores is expected to serve up to 18-months in custody as a result of the plea agreement. Originally, when the indictment was finalized on September 7, 2016, Flores was expected to face up to 45 years in prison if convicted as charged.

Flores will be sentenced on Friday, July 21, 2017, at the U.S. District Court in the City of Riverside.